Steam Frame Gets First SteamOS Update With Substantially Faster Charging

Valve has launched SteamOS 0.3.0 for the Steam Body, the headset’s first system replace because it launched on September 14. The changelog lists “considerably sooner charging whereas unit is off / sleeping,” which addresses a grievance that got here up repeatedly in early opinions. The Verge examined the replace and located the charging beneficial properties appear to go additional than the changelog describes. Earlier than the replace, a depleted Steam Body reportedly began charging at round 8 W and peaked at 27 W. Afterward, it begins at roughly 19 to 21 W and might attain 42 W whereas a recreation is working. Valve recommends a forty five W or sooner USB-C charger, which is offered individually from the $1,059 headset.

The remainder of the changelog additionally consists of some essential bits. The replace improves controller monitoring whereas haptics are energetic, improves stability and reliability beneath excessive load, and fixes a “garbled audio” microphone bug. The per-app Movement Smoothing “Drive At all times-On” setting was being ignored and will now work, and movement smoothing habits in Half-Life: Alyx has been adjusted. For builders, Valve added Vulkan layer fixes and Mesa graphics efficiency work, and altered the Playable standards to permit any decision as an alternative of requiring 1440p. Valve says the SteamOS replace is out there now for all customers, however US and European buy emails solely started going out on September 18, so consumers should still have to attend some time.